Are Alternative Weekly Newspapers Dying?

The recent sale of the Baltimore City Paper to the Baltimore Sun has renewed conversation about the state of alternative weekly newspapers in the U.S.

In recent months, changes to many of these papers has raised many questions and concerns about local journalism and their viability. Last year, the Boston Phoenix closed, New York City’s Village Voice laid off numerous popular reporters and the Onion, a Madison-born satrical paper, ended its print publication.

Tiffany Shackelford, executive director of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia, said that the sale of the City Paper might not actually be a bad sign for alternative media and instead, a sign that they may be financially viable.

“It’s interesting that a daily paper wants an alt-weekly … The Chicago Reader (an alternative weekly) was purchased by the Sun-Times (a daily corporate paper) and now The Reader is the one that’s responsible for a lot of the weekend coverage,” said Shackelford.

While many point to the Internet as a challenge to alternative papers, Shackelford ​disagrees with that idea.

“We invented the Internet,” said Shackelford, referring to the snarky tone of some websites. “That tongue-in-cheek tone that’s been an alt-weekly mainstay for years and years (inspired many sites). There’s a lot that can work in the favor of alt-weeklies.”

“Newspapers have a unique role in creating a community and bringing people together … alternative weeklies are basically more courageous. We take risks, we hold accountable ethically challenged elected officials. People love that. People are loyal to our paper because we are willing to take these risks and treat people like adults,” Fortis said.

Fortis also doesn’t see the Internet as the impending doom of alternative weeklies.

“Our industry, like all media, is going through a transition … each medium is trying to figure out where they are going to fit," he said. "The Internet is not going to kill radio, it’s not going to kill television and it’s not going to kill newspapers.”

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